The Pursuit of Happiness
by Oxza
Summary: Both felt useless, no hope, no purpose, they were at the end of the line in their lives, they just wanted to be happy. When an accident brings two troubled souls together, they save eachother, giving each a new hope, a new purpose, a pursuit for happiness.
1. Do not go gently into the night

Dedicated to all those who have loved and have lost. Alas my dears the world has only just begun spinning the tales of your lives, there is still a hope, a purpose.

-Oxza

It seemed to her that everyone in this damn school was happy. Of course being the exception to the majority of the school populace in every single way she was indifferently unhappy.

She's in her eleventh year of high school, and it's the nearing close to the first semester of school, and she was tired. Physically and mentally. Mentally because she had scorned herself with half-assed marks that she knew weren't a true affirmation of her potential. She loathed herself for dropping all her honours and AP classes to flimsy standard minimal pathway courses. Sure the sky was the limit, but she was so damn tired to even reach for the damn alarm clock in the morning, she couldn't be bothered troubling herself to reach for sky.

Physically she was so insecure. Her body had become a swollen mess of her once lean and sculpted athletic body, bagging on herself continuously of how much she was ugly, and she seems to have accepted this fate and continue down this viscous cycle of slandering. She replaced the comfort of once friends with dark chocolate and peanut butter. She knew she could be beautiful, if she put some effort in, but as established she was tired.

She's to the point where she is contemplating on leaving this world. She can't take it anymore, she knows she's wasting her time her life, she'd rather donate this vessel and soul to someone who was on the brink of death and take their place. Mentally insane she was. Though she hid this under a smile and carefree attitude, which she wished she could adopt as reality.

She's jealous, an ugly creature with a rotting heart, of every tinkering little soul on this planet. She wasn't like this before. May it be another's success or achievement, their ability to balance a social life and pitch high grades only angered her even more. She's lost and no one seems to know her distress, but herself.

She's choking under all the pressure, drowning in her distress, and no one was going to pull her out. She hoped she dreamed she aspired she schemed. But all that is left is a tired body and soul which pushes on through life, mowing the lawn of her dreams and letting them blow away elsewhere or die in a heap. She wanted to be saved. She wanted hope. She wanted happiness. Dear lord she wanted to be loved. She was by her family of course, but it was unconditional love, they had to love her no matter what. She wanted someone to love her for her not because of the spite of having to. Her nose has closed up most likely for the winter; she would probably be sporting a nasal voice for the rest of the week. Her eyes were burning, from the dryness of her unaware staring. Her breaths were deep and shallow. She was sick. No medicine would help. The looming reminder of her Human Biology test the following day didn't help ease her condition. She was done, she was already failing why bother?

She sat on the public bus her head thrumming and throbbing, splitting like icebergs, though it didn't bother her she was used to the pain. She learned to except it and bottle it up. She had left early from school because of her lack of focus and her cold getting the better of her, she had already gone through a box of tissues that morning, and soon after her throat began to itch, the way her heart did when she saw others happy.

The rumbling of the bus didn't seem to warrant any of her fumbled attention as she delved in the book in her hands. She loved to read, it was her solitude from everything she ever worried about. It's sad but sometimes she had hoped that the bus just didn't take her home one day, just somewhere else a change, anywhere but _here_. Because _here_ she was lost and uncertain of herself and future, she had the ability but not the applicability. And she was dying for the latter, because maybe just maybe she'd actually have a chance at life again like in the past and be happy.

She could feel an uncommon humming and vibration of the motor beneath her, though she overlooked its stake it would claim, how crucial this was to her life's destiny. She turned the page of the book anticipating the outcome of the characters actions on the page prior.

The bus made a stop and another came on, she continued to read not bothering to look up. The echo of coins being dispersed at the counter echoed throughout the bus, was it really that empty?

He deposited his change to the driver and pulled at the ticket that was deposited from the machine. He took a sharp breath and walked towards the back of the bus, it was empty save for the girl sitting in the mid-section of the bus where the seats were parallel to the back door. He paid no mind to her as he climbed up to the back two rows behind her.

He was going somewhere, a destination. This destination was away. Away from everything, he needed to start fresh and this was his best chance, he was thinking of taking the bus out of town somewhere, anywhere but here, he didn't know where.

His reverie was broken by a sneeze, from the girl in front of him, followed by a few greedy sniffs. He saw her take out a used tissue and blot her nose. She was sick. It didn't bother him, hell why should it? But in contrast he found her little actions to grab his attention away from the window, which reflected a blurring landscape.

He began to look closer; she was wearing a school uniform by the looks of it. She had to be in high school, and by her face when he first entered she seemed to be in her final year or two of high school. He relished that time of his own in high school. He was a first year in college, which he was now on holiday from. Though really he was attempting to run away from it, the stress, the expectations, and the atmosphere of it all. Don't get him wrong it wasn't as if he hated college, but it felt like college had hated him. It was every time he tried, he failed. He'd get back up again and work and plough through his struggles in attempt to achieve something, anything. But granted he was a failure. His professors had held him back after lectures to heed this input, 'I just don't think you can pass this course' or 'you might as well put your efforts somewhere else'. He closed his eyes and released a heavy withheld breath, condensating the window beside him.

He had another six weeks off before he had to return. Forty-two days to get his life in order, seems enough. Though he just couldn't be bothered any longer, everything he did was a screw up why should he try again and risk the disappointment of his attempt? The boy was tired. He just wanted to be lulled away from this world of sky-rocketing expectations and be free, be able to smile and laugh just like others. Like in High School.

He eyed the girl enviously; he wished he was her, just a carefree student whose greatest worry was if she'd catch the latest episode of some drama at five. His jaw clenched, his tightened fist released. He jealous of some girl. Correction some high school girl, and he was some college guy. There probably wasn't more than two to three years difference between them, he mentally slapped himself to actually allow himself to _consider_. He scoffed to himself.

She was having difficulty focusing on the novel in front of her due to the commotion behind her. She didn't bother looking back, the last thing she needed was another reason to hate herself. It seemed the person behind her was unsettled, shuffling and changing seating positions, hearing the clank of their finger nails vibrate on the window. For a few moments she felt the person barrelling holes into her head, staring. She amused herself by wonder if the person did burn a hole through her head, would her head be hallow, but offcourse her logic countered of course not, she'd have some unmotivated brain in there. She lost interest in her book, and shut it closed loudly, and placed it in her bag. She needed to get home soon, she had only one tissue left and without a doubt it wouldn't 'survive' another five minutes.

To pass the time she began to look outside the window at the winding scenery. Her mind soon began to play a game of guess who, a game she often relished playing on the bus. Odd one she is. On a similar occasion if she was attempting to pass the time on the bus, and she'd have someone sitting behind her on the bus, she'd attempt guessing how they would look, if they were male or female. And when she'd get off the bus she'd take a look at them and see if she was even close. It was a personal favourite.

Her mind reeled. Humouring herself. Male. Let's say six foot. Seems a bit broody, emo almost. Black hair? Make that choppy black hair. Okay…eyes…how about green? No make it black. She smirked to herself, waiting to see her handy work.

She began to stand as the bus turned on the intersection, her stop was next, and so she rung the bell, and began to walk steadily to the back door. As she was about to turn and look at her guess who victim. She felt herself being knocked backwards against the windows. Her eyes widened as she saw herself airborne that next split second, and then there was a blast from the front of the bus and to her horror she felt the heat of the licking flames heaving towards her. She tried to move, she failed, she only had succeeded in feeling a pain rip through her body, her eyes widened in shock, was she going to die, was she going to be relived of this world. And to her horror, she did not fear but relished to be intoxicated into the flames womb, and so she simply lay there motionless, waiting.

All he knew was his head hurt. Glass shards glittered in his hair like the dew that clings to a web on a sunrise. He took a few moments to refocus his eyes, to conceive this reality. It hadn't been long after the girl swayed backwards and then forwards again, before he had done the same. All he knew was something crashed into them, something big and now they both lay on the roof of the bus.

He assessed the situation quickly realizing he could escape. He could. Did he want to? He wasn't sure. His body made no move or attempt in climbing out the glass less window above him. He eyes glazed over reflecting the flames that was consuming the bus, and then he realized the girl was close to the fire.

His logic juggled in his mind. She was clearly unconscious, knocked out, out cold if you will. She probably doesn't even know this is going on. She's probably not going to wake up ever again. Her family is probably expecting her, wondering where she was. They'd call her, no one will answer. The father may anger the mother worry. The clock over the dining table will tick away and the dinner will run cold, all places filled except hers. They'd probably begin dialling for the police, but then be stopped by a call from an unknown number, the call will make them cry, and result with the phone hitting the ground, resonating the words of 'I'm sorry' through the empty broken home. Their daughter gone.

What if she wanted to live, what if she had dreams? Heck that's what he'd feel. But know the lulling destruction harmonised with his staggering heartbeat which pounded a tattoo in his chest. What if she had a chance to succeed as he didn't? What if. What if.

He wouldn't know.

She wouldn't know if she would achieve anything.

But alas, there's hope.

He hoisted himself of his stomach to stand, glass shards tinkling on the ground- or roof. He wasn't as badly injured as he predicted, only undeveloped bruising and shallow cuts, though he could say otherwise for the girl. He hoisted her away from the proceeding fire and towards the back where the seats were still intact and could give him leverage to jump out of the bus windows. He found her to be heavier than he expected, he had overlooked her initial figure, when he entered, but now that he actually looked at her, she was slightly rounder-chubbier-not fat-chubby compared to most girls he recalled in high school with wiry and skeleton bodies. He honestly didn't care, but in the current situation he pondered if he could hold her, his muscles were already strained due to the bruising.

She began to come to as her head began to sway side to side. Her body doing a coda of her previous feelings of pain, she wanted to scream bloody murder. Her eyes opened to find herself staring at someone's backside; she realized someone was holding her. They had thrown her over their shoulder and carrying her out of the bus. The body hoisted her and themselves out of the window of bus, only to be welcomed by sirens of police cars and fire engines. Her head was aching, this time worse than the simple crack of an iceberg but now the equivalent of the separation of the continents, Pangaea, and this time she did cry out in pain and agony, fisting the back of the shirt of her saviour.

Her voice had shocked him; not only that but then the clenching of his shirt had sent chills down his spine. His mind was blurring, only making out the bright lights of the police cars, and the authoritive voice on the megaphone, 'Please step away from the bus quickly.' Now that he thought of it why were all the police and firemen so far away from the scene, it was as if they were avoiding something, the accident was obviously too dangerous for them to take action.

'Sir, I am asking you to come to safety with the woman away from the bus' the voice boomed again.

He didn't understand why, but he soon understood the degree of danger as he turned to the accident behind him. The bus had been crashed into by a petrol truck. His mind clicking all the facts, fire and fuel, and his feet began to run, there whole place was going to explode. The girl's body flopped against his body as he picked up speed. He was so close to the haven of the police, so close. But he began to slow down his body shutting down, tired.

And then he heard her voice, 'Dammit! Run!'

Her voice shocked him out of his trance.

And then she said four words that he hadn't heard in long time associated with him.

'You can do it'

The words echoed through his mind, so many times he's been shut down, but now he was being told he CAN do something.

So he began to run again, faster, stronger, hungry to prove to himself wrong that he can do it and the girl right. As he reached the safety of the police they hurled them under a barrier, and the sound of an explosion echoed through the sky.

Minutes earlier she may have not even thought of egging anyone on to survive, but to actually see that person bothered to rescue her and take her to safety rippled the calm of her mind. She had purpose. She wasn't a mistake, because if she was she wouldn't be saved, wouldn't be considered in the quick thinking of the Samaritan. So when they had stopped she'd realise, she'd wasn't going to give up on life, she had purpose, she had hope for the future. And so she shouted at them to run, because obviously they had the ability to do it, and if they could do it, getting them to safety, she could have hope secured for the future, because she had purpose.

She was hoisted of his shoulder, and he then took a good look at her, taking in her rampant typhoon of dusty pink waves and feathered lashes cradling emerald gemmed orbs that reflected his face.

She smiled internally, she had won. Her 'guess who' was a success. Her vision was met by charcoal black eyes and pale skin tinted by the dust and smoke. His hair feathered locks of black, laced with glittering glass.

She had saved him.

He had saved her.

Both in debt with each other.

'Thank you' he whispered

She hummed a welcome as her eyes lulled to a close, not from tiredness but for the need of recovery to a new her.

Her forehead landed on his shoulder as she fell forward in unconsciousness. He knew he would most likely not see her again. A shame.

Before he could allow the festering hands of the paramedics to take her, he slid a silver ring of his finger and placed it on one of hers. She will remember him, as he'd remember her.

Both hopeful for the prosper of tomorrow.

He left hoping that maybe granted the world would become smaller and allow him to meet her again, just maybe, you could only be so hopeful.

***Lol Sasuke found his single lady and put a ring on it ***

I've found the spirit to get back into writing again, I've been honestly feeling lousy lately and hopeless. This is somewhat an indirect feed of my life but woven in SASUSAKU loviness :) I'm sick with a horrid cold which is why I decided to curse Sakura with the same because hey, I feel lonely.

Anyways I'm hoping to start this story, and I assure you Sakura and Sasuke will meet again.

Thank you for reading and please drop a review and don't be stingy and simply favourite or alert this story because although it's really supportive I'd like some reviews too, they make me happy and get me out of my depressing slump

Until next time

Take care and stay happy, smile it makes a difference.

Oxza

**I'm actually going to consider studying now for that Human Bio. Test now, the excretory system is such a beautiful system, sure…***


	2. Where art thou thy Romeo?

Her fingers swivelled the cool metal ring around her finger, the engraving in it, imprinted into to her finger for the long period it had hugged her finger. It shaded her finger from the sun leaving her hand tanned and a ringlet of white skin untouched.

She couldn't conceive the idea of finally graduating high school and starting college that following fall. Hope got her here, he got her here.

She was currently looking at the campus map to find her dorm; apparently her roommate had dropped out before the beginning of the semester leaving her alone in the two man suite. She was relieved at that, because she had barely been able to convince her parents to study out of state, and when she told them so, they agreed, which of course surprised her. All of high school she had led the torturous idea that she was excluded from studying away from home, her parents brought her many pamphlets from the many local in state universities, but she had always denied them loosely. What was the thrill of going to the university down the street, she wanted to remember this time and experience it at its best and revel in its memories.

She planned wisely and had asked her parents if she could apply to the University out of state, after they had gone through a whole glass of red wine. When they agreed, that same night she drove down to the local post office and dropped her application letter, kissing it before placing it in the drop.

Not long after, she had received an acceptation letter from the University and had been given the course outline and paper work for enrolment.

Her mom of course was weary, her dad a grumbling mess. Don't get them wrong they were happy if not proud of their daughter's success in gaining entrance in an established university, but she would be away from their watchful eyes. They trusted her, but simply didn't trust the people that she'd be around.

So they called for an alliance to attempt to change her mind, which failed miserably.

'_Honey?' Haruno Kana spoke as she and Sakura made their rounds in a store, the trolley pregnant with stationary, bed dressings and other knick knacks. _

'_Yes Mama' she looked to her mother as she grabbed a box of laundry detergent._

_Her mother fiddled with her fingers, it was rather pathetic, like a girl shyly confessing her love._

'_Well…you're going to college soon...'_

_Sakura nodded towards her mom to proceed._

'_And you'll be rooming with someone'_

_Sakura grabbed at another item on the shelf. Her mother continued._

'_whatifyourroommateisamurderer' Her mother heaved and shut her eyes_

_Sakura looked at mother ridiculously. Sometimes she wondered who the hell was the adult here?_

'_Mama my roommate dropped out, so I'll be having the dorm to myself.' _

_Sakura continued to stroll down the aisle, as she left her mother dumbfounded, Plan A was a bust, and later B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and J were a fail too. She simply kneaded her temples and walked along her daughter whose sole happiness was her distress. _

__

Sakura walked blindly down the hall with two boxes towering her tiny stature, she still had to climb another flight of stairs and she'd be on her floor, then walk down the hallway and make a left into the west wing.

She grumbled at the heavy weight but continued her trek up the stairs, where other students were crowding chatting away and catching up with one another.

She made it down the hall making a left to the west wing. As she entered the west wing, a pair left the east wing, not noticing her.

'All I'm saying is it's my year! I just know it!' The one exclaimed

The other spared a roll of the eyes, he was clearly annoyed.

His friend had been having the strangest and most unconceivable stroke of luck the past few days, but he wasn't.

His car got impounded during the holidays, and he couldn't get it back until the end of the holidays, to make matters worse his cell phone and belongings had been left in the car during the impoundment. So he had no way of making his way around in the holiday, he got stuck one state over, and when an old lady spared him a quarter, he tried to phone his friend on a payphone to come and pick him up, but of course his friend did not answer and so he was stuck.

He ended up hitch hiking with some weird truckie who was traveling one town over from his campus. He endured five long hours of the truckies failure of a life story, he tried not to laugh during this time, his mother taught him better. But honestly who fails the first grade, gets held back in kindergarten for three years and then drops out of school because they 'had a calling'? He thought his friend was academically challenged but was proven wrong when he had miraculously made it into college. The guy's calling had turned out to be a fluke and at that stage in his life he found the one thing he was good at, driving trucks.

He ended up staying on campus during the holidays taking some extracurricular courses, and lifeguarding at the local pool. At the end of the holiday he went back to get his car back, and found everything that was in the car stolen. He spent the day calling his credit card company, bank, and insurance company trying to cancel his cards and then he had to cancel his phone plan and buy a new phone. Things just didn't go his way.

Just yesterday, he had to move dorms and room with the twit of a friend because his dorm's indoor plumbing got messed up and flooded the entire room. The damage wasn't fixable, relaying him having to stay the rest of the semester with the moron.

They had just recently finished moving all his belongings into the dorm room, heading down to the parking lot to meet up with some friends at a local diner. As they weaved their way through the crowds of students, his friend continued to buzz on about the classes that were commencing tomorrow, grumbling about an early eight o'clock lecture and then another 4 o'clock that afternoon.

In all honesty, he was happy to finally get back into the rhythm of school he missed the balance in his life, he looked forward to it. His mind would sometimes drift back to his first year in college just last year, when he was struggling and wanted to give up, but remembered the faithful words of the saint that re-ignited his fire. Unconsciously he looked at his hands, remembering the presence of his old ring, which he now replaced with another which had the word 'remember' engraved in the inside so that he would never forget. He sometimes wondered what had come of the girl where she was now, and did she still have the ring. He kept telling himself it meant nothing, but he would be lying.

They both stopped in front of navy blue car, he the shotgun and his friend the driver, as he waited impatiently for his friend to open the door, he could hear the all too common nervous laughter of his friend, 'funny story…' He knew this wasn't going to be a funny story.

'I forgot the keys in the dorm.'

To say he was surprised would be a lie, many 'funny stories' were a common thing in his friends arsenal. He said no more but gives him a glare.

His friend retreated, sprinting back to the dormitories, leaving him to sit on the hood of the car.

His friend ran up the stairs to the second floor, not looking in front of him, and so was another, and in a second they both knocked each other down.

The other person stood first standing up, and sticking out her hand towards him, 'Sorry about that I wasn't paying attention' she commented shyly

The boy looked up to see a new face, one he hadn't seen on campus before, a freshman. He took her hand and picked himself up. He gave a friendly smile, scratching the back of his head timidly, 'I should say the same. The names Naruto Uzamaki.' He stuck his hand out towards her.

She took his hand and returned a shake, 'Pleasure to meet you, my names Sakura Haruno, I'm new here, so bear with me.' She smiled back

She seemed friendly enough, warm hearted too.

'So…you just getting settled in?' He asked

'Oh yeah, I just got here an hour ago, I came from Kiri, I just finished with administration, so I'm still in the process of unpacking.'

'Wow, all the way from Kiri that's pretty far, well you made a good choice in coming to the Fire country, Konoha University is one of the best, I've been here for nearly two years it's my second year here now.'

They continued their conversation and didn't even consider the time, until Naruto felt his phone vibrate seeing his friend's number on the caller idea, 'crap'.

'Hey Sakura-chan, I'm really sorry but my friends waiting for me in the parking lot, and he isn't a patient person.'

'That's alright' She replied good-naturedly 'I've gotta settle in anyways, I'll see you around Naruto, hey?'

He smiled, 'Yup see ya around'

She waved him off and began down the stairs towards the parking lot. She had felt somewhat relieved of actually knowing somebody on the campus, she wasn't lonely anymore, and she smiled to herself.

This feeling was nostalgic, she was used being the new girl at school always transferring to a new school, never getting a chance to establish a good stable network of friends, and she was happy to say she would finally get the opportunity here, she would be here for a good three to five years, she was bound to make good friends during that time.

She jingled her keys, twirling them around her fingers, the ring glimmering in the setting sun. It was only in a few hours her occupation as a student at Konoha U would became real.

She began nearing her car her Chucks grating against the gravel. He heard footsteps nearing the car, took the moron long enough, he got off the hood of the car and stuffed his hands in his pocket.

In her peripheral vision she could see a girl struggling with a box in her hands, her knees bucking and the box threatening to spill its contents, the girl winced waiting for the box to fall on the ground, but the box stayed steady on her hands.

'Need a hand?'

The girl looked over the box to see another girl who broke into a smile; she breathed a sigh a relief,

'Thank you so much, I'm sorry for the trouble!'

'No problem'

The two girls hoisted the box across the parking lot and towards the dormitory, both talking to each other over the wall of the box. They both found out they were freshmen and their dorms were next door to each other. The sound of airy laughter echoed through the parking lot as the two conversed, each stifling a laugh at their situation, the girl enquired, 'Where for out thou thy Romeo?'

'Thy over thy boxith' the other mused

Sasuke looked over the top of the car and realised it wasn't Naruto who was walking in the parking lot, but two girls. One with inked hair and as she turned her face lilac almond eyes, he immediately associated her as the cousin of Neji Hyuuga, she was freshmen. He could only make out the other girl's jean clad legs paired with worn Chuck's, as the box covered her upper body.

He hadn't realised Naruto slyly slipping into the driver's seat of the car, as he looked at the girls until Naruto tapped the window at the passenger seat his curiosity of the girl behind the box was dismissed. He grumbled, Naruto grinned,

'What took you so long?' He said sarcastically

His friend only grumbled in response and sat in his seat and commanded, 'Drive'

Naruto rolled his eyes at his friend's lack of vocabulary but obliged to his command, even though inevitably he would 'drive', the car pulled out of the parking lot and turned out onto the main road that branched out to the downtown of the area.

Naruto began to make light conversation, apparently he'd run into some freshmen, Sakura was it? And they had a conversation; she was from Kiri he added. On that note Naruto elbowed Sasuke knowingly, 'Don't you remember our freshmen year, you were a sight for sore eyes weren't you.' Naruto chuckled.

'But look at you now, you not only roll your eyes and grumble but you can speak now! They grow up so fast.' Naruto comically sniffed

To Sasuke's dismay Naruto did have a point, last year he was a mess the first semester at K.U., he just didn't know what he was doing, and all he knew was he was there, now what? He tried and tried, and failed and failed. There was no passion no drive; his eyes lacked the lacklustre of others who were actually enjoying their lives as students. He just couldn't apply himself to anything, the more he tried the less motivated he became, and nobody even seen his struggle. Everyone that he knew thought he was the model student, 'super smart'. When his friends were venting out their troubles and struggles in classes they all supported each other, and he decided to actually to put himself out there and do the same, expressing the same difficulty in his courses. Though he was immediately shutdown with, 'what do you have to worry about' or 'I wouldn't think you're the kind of person who'd struggle with this.' And his all-time 'favourite', 'is there anything you can't do?', this one had made him feel worse, because apparently he can do everything, but he was struggling to reach those expectations, he just needed someone to tell him, he can do it, not beat around the bush. Sasuke like everything to be straight forward, point blank, black and white, right or wrong, this was something he never got from his friends. They only thing they did were keel the fire within him and covered it with a wet blanket.

He was at the point at the end of the semester after consulting his professors, dropping out, and just leaving everything behind go somewhere anywhere as long as it was away from the pressuring atmosphere of college life. He had no family to turn to, but only memories of what was left. He needed a beacon he needed a hope.

He humoured himself; he could have become a truckie. Picked up college kids and told them about how he flaked college, and assuring them he was happy the way his life was then, 'look at me now'.

The semester holiday he was just passing through the countries, anywhere but the Land of Fire. He ended up in Kiri of all places. He was upset in the beginning of how he ended up in Kiri, but today he was glad the angels had tied his string of fate with the girl's. She had indirectly helped him, with just four words, 'you can do it'. Even though she may have not understood the metaphoric function this withheld in his heart in mind, he thanked her existence. It sounds cheesy when he thinks about it, somewhat cliché, of how just a girl's words changed his life, but for him it awakened the yearning that was clinging within him.

After that incident he'd changed. He immediately went back to the University, and got his 'shit' together; he went to each professor and asked if he do an extra credit assignment for that class as to improve his weighting in the class. The professors were surprisingly supportive of the whole idea, and so he slaved away his six weeks' worth of holidays on extensive research assignments and when he had completed them at the end of the holiday as his friends came back from their relaxing holidays, he felt pride and redemption swell in him as he handed his work to each professor, each saying, that he had the ability to succeed, he felt like he could soar, and that only fired him up more. Things started pitching up for him, life just went on, and got better.

'Thank you' he said but, he wished fate would tie the strings again so he got the chance to thank the girl again, to show her how far he had gotten because of her.

His saint he called her

He didn't even know her name.

O_o_O_o

Before I comment: PEOPLE PLEASE REVIEW! I'm really happy that I had about 15 of you favourite and put me on your alerts but please, REVIEW, it makes a whole difference, Review make me super happy, it's really scary because for the next twenty-four hours I just keep refreshing my email inbox for a review and face palm myself when it's not one, just say anything, if you like cheese, say you like cheese, but when you guys review I start dancing like a little school girl and get happy

Thank you tons for your support

Than anticipation is building up they will meet, patience is virtue

How'd you find this chapter, what do you think is gonna happen next? Suspense….Dun DUN DUNNN

Oxza-


	3. The day that starts it all

The hallways echoed with the voice of students that filled out of the lecture halls. Naruto was left to scratch his head in stress, so much for it being his year. He hadn't realised how extensive the course he was taking was, he hadn't even bothered looking at the course outline. He had been so sure of himself. He cringed at the faint memory of his friend warning him this year wouldn't be as forgiving as freshmen year; professors were ruthless in the second year.

An all too common Saturday came to mind, it was the end of the semester all their coursework had been completed that week, all exams finalised, and students rejoicing. Sasuke was sitting in the cafeteria looking thoroughly through a thick course book, writing down some side notes.

_Naruto clapped him on the back, jerking him out of his trance making him drop his pencil, he was annoyed._

'_Oi, you're already preparing for next year? We just finished our last semester of our freshmen year and you don't even bother pulling yourself out of the books?'_

'_You moron, course selections are due in a week, next year they're not going to be so lenient and let you switch classes for no reason, and no stupidity isn't a reason.'_

'_What are you trying to say, I know what I'm going to do next year, say no more and I'm one hundred per cent positive about this choice not like the beginning of this semester, I found the right course for me and I passed, what more can I say.' Naruto replied smugly._

_Sasuke grumbled and rubbed the bridge of his nose and began to collect his things, the idiot wasn't going to let him get anything done, so he'd retreat to his dorm for the afternoon. _

_Before he left he smirked thinking to himself, 'Says the one who dropped and switched through eight courses in less than two weeks before he went back to his first initial choice.'_

_Naruto scowled seeing his friends retreating form, 'Live a little would you.'_

_Sasuke waved him off and left the cafeteria._

Naruto cursed his gloat and trudged through the congested halls, he really should have look over the course outline like Sasuke did, his back was heaving at the weight of thick spiral notebooks in his bag, which were things he was not looking forward to for the rest of the year, his tuition hadn't covered a chiropractor, maybe that was a prerequisite in the course outline he humoured himself.

It was only his first lecture that morning and he still had another that afternoon at four. He also reminded himself that by the end of the week he had to have an elective selected, he was sure he'd read an outline for that, he grumbled annoyingly to himself.

Most of his friends were spread across the campus, it would have been a waste of time trying to find one in the crowd, so he decided he'd head back to his dorm and attempt deciphering his lecture notes and look through the actual course outline and see what he needed to start on. He peered through a corner and stuffed his hands in his pockets and began his trek to his dorm.

Coincidently the opposite had happened with Sasuke. He already had gone through some of the material during the holiday and had been able to grasp the main points in the teacher's lecture; his notebook had already been filled with previous notes from the summer.

He was walking to his next class; he had been already scheduled for a practical on the lecture. He wouldn't be back until the late afternoon, when the hopeless case would be off to his next lecture. He smirked to himself wondering how the idiot managed through the class, and continued to saunter of in satisfaction when a buzz in his pocket belonged to Naruto.

'I'm not dropping this class just you watch!'

He smirked and turned the corner and walked up the stairs where the prac rooms were facilitated. Before he could enter the room he felt someone grasp his shoulder harshly, he turned around and his once satisfied face crumbled into an annoyed one.

The person only gave him a motioned hand to follow them; he was going to miss his first prac for this?

'Don't worry I've already slotted you in for the next prac session, you aren't going to miss anything.'

He followed them across the campus to a none too forgettable office, the door holding the name plate 'Dr. Tsunade.'

She was practical and held a similar quality to him; she liked to get straight to the point, cut to the chase if you will.

Her arms crossed over her chest and her young looking face didn't look none too happy.

'What's this?' She stated grimly handing him a paper, with a familiar letter. His eyes narrowed in annoyance.

She continued, 'You've missed all your chiro sessions for the past six weeks, your doctor's been trying to get a hold of you, but you wouldn't answer.'

'Phone got stolen.' He stated nonchalantly

'I don't think that was the only thing stolen' Her lips set in a grim line, daring him to retort back.

'Sasuke, these sessions aren't for no reason, you need them, their supposed to help you. You're doing more harm than good for yourself.'

He was losing his patience to this, 'I'm fine without them, I'm walking, and bending, heck I'll even do a cartwheel for you if you don't believe me.'

'As the Konoha University's doctor, I am to for see all students' health and make sure they are well.'

She walked towards her desk and took out a glossy business card holding the same letter head as the paper in his hand.

'Here. You have an appointment this afternoon at five. Be there. I'll know if you weren't there. I asked the doctor to call me if you didn't pitch up.'

He turned around and scoffed to himself, crumbling the business card in his hand as he opened the door.

'I mean it Uchiha'

The sound of the slamming door resonated within the infirmary, leaving the women to sigh, and wonder why and how she put up with these kids.

His anger clouded his vision as he left the infirmary not noticing someone occupying the bench outside the infirmary and he continued on his Mary way back to his dorm, due to the fact he missed the first prac, he'd have to wait until two thirty for the next one.

The person entered the office; leaving the hallway empty, save for the thumping of his shoes. After the accident last year, the doctors found he had a crack in his spine, most likely from the impact of the crash. He'd have to follow up with weekly appointments with a chiropractor to make sure his spine stayed in alignment it was either that or a brace.

This whole ordeal annoyed him, for many reasons. The doctors were floored that he'd even been able to stand let along walk with that cracked spine of his, and had instructed him to not take any contact sports. There goes whatever is left of what he considered 'fun', though he continued to partake in cross-country and swimming. When he went for his first appointment with his chiropractor, he was not too keen on continuing. The man had laid him out on his stomach on the examination table, pressing faintly on areas around his spine for a few moments, and then nothing. The man just smiled at him and told him he'd see him next week, and if that was enough he'd robbed him two-hundred dollars of his hard-earned money. The man made more money just touching him for a few seconds, than a prostitute would have in an hour. And so he decided he wouldn't go anymore, childish yes, but logically he wasn't willing to lose whatever's leftover of his staggering student savings to some so called 'doctor'. Tsunade wouldn't have any of it, and literally breathed down his neck about it. She left him alone when he promised he'd go during the summer, and she held him to it. How wrong she was.

LILILILILILLILLILILILILILILI

The faint tapping of the door filled the room once again with sound. Tsunade rubbed her temples, wondering what hooligan would stand before her now.

'Come in'

Footsteps sounded to the front of her desk, she didn't bother looking up, and she simply continued on some transfer paperwork for the new students in the school. The person didn't seem bothered by this and stayed silent. When Tsunade completed the form she looked up to the student and smiled,

'It's rare to have quiet let alone patient student at this school.' She remarked

'What can I do for you?'

The student presented a set of papers, which seemed to be her medical records; she found the name 'Sakura Haruno' at the top and a picture along with her details. She smiled to herself, the girl had saved her a lot of paperwork as she looked through her records, she realized nothing was missing.

'I was hoping if you could recommend me to a chiropractor around here, I'm still new around the area.' Sakura inquired.

'Funny thing you should ask, the last student in here was here for the same pretences.'

She pulled out a card identical to the one she had just moments ago, and gave the girl general directions on how to get there.

'If you'd like, I'll make the appointment for you and can email you the details of the appointment.'

'If it won't be a problem I'd greatly appreciate it.' Sakura smiled

'Do you have any specifications of when you want your appointment?'

'I've got classes till around five today, and I'd like to see the doctor today, so make it after five today if possible. If not I'm flexible.'

'I'm sure the doctor can find you a spot, I'll give him a call and I'll email you, just jot down your student email here and you can go back to your classes.'

Sakura took the pad and pen from Tsunade and wrote down her email, and returned it to her. She began to walk to the door ready to leave.

'I wish you all the best this year in K.U. Miss Haruno.' Tsunade smiled warmly

'Thank you very much Dr. Tsunade, take care.'

And the door shut, leaving the school doctor back to her work.

LILILILILILILILILILILILI

To say she was freaking out was an understatement, the ravenette was beyond it. She was lucky enough to have all afternoon classes, so she'd be able to sleep in. She wasn't running late, that wasn't her dilemma; her first class didn't start for another hour. The ravenette was still getting used to her dorm life and had just finished showering in the common showers. She left her clothes in her dorm as her dorm was just across from the showers, which now she regretted. Her regret surfaced when she had realized she had not only left her clothing in her dorm, but also her room key.

So there she was in her bath robe, in the west wing, reddening with embarrassment. She couldn't contact Sakura to at least take refuge in her dorm, she was in classes now, and it seemed everyone was having classes now due to the vacancy of the hallway which had been buzzing like a hornets nest all night and morning.

Her only other option was immediately cancelled out, but it was probably the only way she'd get in her room before her classes started. She'd have to walk across campus to the administration building, mind you in her bathrobe, and request a spare room key. She sighed in defeat.

Another idea came to mind, and so she began to knock on door after door, down the hall hoping to find someone to go grab her a spare room key. She summoned up all her courage and continued down the hall, her first day in college and this happens; she could only hope and worry what other things would come her way.

ILILILILILILILILILI

Naruto had actually began to understand the cryptic notes he had taken down in his lecture and was able to relate them to the text in a packet his professor had given everyone. He'd had gone through his notes and began to re-write his notes on his laptop and linked some information from the reference packet.

Revising his notes he smiled in triumph; he'd actually understood the material after the second time around.

He looked at the clock, and realized he still had about another two or three hours for his next lecture, he decided he'd actually go over the course outline of that following class and try to understand the fundaments of the first chapter. Pen in hand and notebook ready to be tattooed with words, he zoned out from everything, and began scrawling down quick notes.

His concentration slightly slacked at the sound of someone knocking on a door a few doors down. He overlooked the sound, but it soon got louder and closer. Cursing and grumbling he had opened the door, the person guilty at hand had their hand stretched out ready to knock at the door. When they had realized the door opened they looked slightly shocked and looked down in embarrassment.

'I'm sorry for any trouble, but um-'

'Is that you Hinata-chan?'

The said girl looked up gaping at him realizing to her horror who it was, 'N-N-Naruto-kun!'

He smiled, forgetting his previous annoyance, 'Neji told me last night that you were going to be a freshmen at Konoha University, I didn't realize we'd see each other this soon, it's been a while hasn't it?' he chuckled

It actually had been. She hadn't seen him since her cousin left town a year ago for his freshmen year. Naruto had become a staple friend of Neji's throughout all of high school, and it was common to see him nearly every day at her home. It was to the extent that it would be abnormal to not have his presence at home. He became a secondary fatherly and brotherly figure in her life, always making sure she was alright and if she needed anything when her father had been away from home.

She had realized when she had gone to see her cousin and his friends off to college, nothing more than a bunch of boys cramming into two cars. Before he left, Naruto shoved his head out of the window waving at her and smiling, 'See ya Hinata-chan, come and visit during break ok?'

Her face brightened like a tomato as she saw him being pulled back into the car by a very annoyed Sasuke. She finally realized as her heart thumped and leaped she had fallen in love with him, so hard, her heart was rolling around chest in summersaults.

And to her surprise she shouted back at him, 'Good luck Naruto-kun!', and she was rewarded by his golden chummy smile and knowing blue eyes, that were the colour of a winters snow but warm as the summers sun.

'Uh-huhuh' Hinata began to twiddle her fingers in embarrassment

'Are you alright?' Naruto asked worriedly

Hinata began to redden by the second, she had to tell him now or she wouldn't get any help.

'iforgotmykeyandican'.' She blurted with her eyes closed

It took a second for Naruto to process what she said. _She forgot her room key, and couldn't get in. And she needed her clothes. _He hadn't realized the state of her attire at the time, but then he realized she was wearing only a bathrobe. His cheeks dusted a similar parlour of her cheeks, suddenly finding the wall behind her rather interesting.

'Oh um, if you want, uhm.' He was having a hard time keeping his cool, he swallowed his gut, pointing to her, 'You. Stay here. I'll go get a spare key for you in administration.' And he ran off in a hurry, face palming himself, _'This is Hinata-chan we're talking about idiot, pull yourself together!'_

Hinata was left alone in the hallway again, but the door to Naruto's dorm was open, she could see the form of a desk from the view of the ajar door. Her conscience roaring in her head to close the door and seek refuge in the common bathrooms, he would figure out that she'd be there; it was the only place she could be in the barren corridor.

She was really curious though, and curiosity killed the cat, and that said curiosity stood behind her, without her knowledge. The cat was trapped.

Sasuke could only question everything about Naruto's ethics and reasonability. But this by far was one of the most bizarre things he'd ever seen.

Some girl, scratch that same girl from the parking lot-Neji Hyuuga's cousin was outside his and Naruto's dorm in a bathroom robe, and seemed to be in the process of entering the room. The hell were people smelling these days?

'Hinata, can I ask why you're at my dorm, and in your bathrobe?'

At that moment something in Hinata died, she had been caught red handed, by none other than

'Sasuke-san' she mumbled

'Hn'

She was overwhelmed by the melodrama she had been facing this whole day it seemed to disintegrate everything in her little fragile being. In the presence of Sasuke she had always felt his eyes put her under the microscope. The stress of it all just hit her all in that moment rendering her unconscious.

'Shit' was all that Sasuke said.

He was in a hallway with a girl in a bathroom robe outside his dorm, a perfect innocent accusation that moment could easily frame him of unnecessary profanities. And when he heard voices nearing the corner of his hallway, all he could do was heft the girl into the dorm and lock the door, scratch that and leave the room, this was Naruto's problem not his, he didn't have time to play babysitter. Though as he locked the door, he felt an arm wind around his shoulder, the arm which belonged to a smiling idiot, and he simply flicked the arm off his shoulder as he always did.

'Well well well, are off to classes Uchiha?' The voice chanted

'Yeah I was, quite frankly' He grumbled the lie

'Well me and Suigetsu, here just finished up our classes for the day' He pointed to his accomplice, he responded with a toothy grin.

The conversation hung in silence, with just the three staring at each other; Sasuke didn't refrain from dismissing their presence.

'I'm going now' he replied and began walking down the hallway, but Suigetsu stopped him.

'What now?' Sasuke questioned

'Kiba here needs to give you something.' Suigetsu replied

Sasuke eyed Kiba as he swaggered over with an item in his hand, anticipating the weight in his hand. In a split second Kiba clasped both his hands tightly around Sasuke's one hand only to feel a quick wave of shock, pulling his arm away from the stream of the electric jolt, and messaging his hand with the other.

Suigetsu and Kiba high fived one another in glee, ' We got you Uchiha, we got you good, you thought you got us last year, but this year is gonna be a long one for you.' Both cackled in their success of one-uping the Uchiha.

Sasuke smirked, 'You sure about that?', but wasn't heard over the harmony of their laughter, and he just left them, and began to walk again to the main campus, having nowhere else to brood, as the sleeping Hyuuga had taken his dorm.

As he neared the base of the stairwell he found Naruto running the opposite direction, 'You owe me one moron, next time she stays in the hallway.'

Naruto was about to lash out on him that that matter more innocent than it seemed, though presence of his friend had left the building and he could only continue upstairs. And hopefully not lose himself, and have his juvenile crush resurface, he needed to focus he reminded himself, but as he opened the door and saw the ravenette sleeping against the wall, he realised he would focus, but the subject of matter may not be the focus he intended.

When her eyes fluttered opened, he simply turned around not looking towards her, feeling shame for staring at a sleeping woman that wasn't his to claim. He stuck out his arm, 'Here's the key. Admin wants it back when you're done with it.'

And that was that. There was no other exchange between the two besides a quiet 'thank you' from Hinata as she exited the dorm.

The last thing he needed was a distraction, especially the very distraction that made him stagger in high school. He grumbled and quipped himself to go back to his work, but his mind had other plans.

LILILILILILILILILI

I honestly promise next chapter they (Sasuke and Sakura) will meet I swear by it, I didn't want to cram it into this one chapter because I feel as though it would have been rushed, and now I have the spance of a whole chapter to truly reveal the two to each other.

I personally didn't feel this chapter was one of my best, it's sort of a plot filler and stimulator and it's meant to advocate the progress and actions that will surface in the later chapters.

Tomorrows Friday, so Imma pull a nightie just to get the next chappy up, I'm super stoked of the upcoming chapters; I've got so many plans up my sleeve for the two soon to be lovebirds

I kind of feel like I'm a bit more excited than you guys, and thank you to the lovely reviews, my heart went so soft from them I felt so special and happy

Love you all

Oxza

Please Review


	4. Jack and Jill went up the hill

The rain pricked her skin in the dark roaring storm. She had been stranded on a back road to town for the past half hour; her car battery had just died on her. And when she went to look under the hood the rain began to pour generously.

Her breath clouded around her, her feeble hands freezing. Realizing she was going to be stranded out here for a while, she cursed her choice in taking the back road rather than a local one, it would take ages for a car to pass by, and her phone had no reception.

Her eyebrows contorted in frustration realizing she couldn't get hold of anyone at this point, she didn't have anyone's number but Hinata, and Hinata had a late lecture tonight and wouldn't be out till the next hour or two.

She closed her eyes and reopened them with a determined outlook reanalysing her situation, she was a good three or four miles away from campus, and the rain wouldn't let up any time soon, rendering her immobile of walking back, and leaving her car stranded. She'd just have to kill two birds with one stone, divide and conquer.

She opened her car door and shifted her car into neutral and released the safety brakes, and began to slowly push the car back down the road it came from, and grumbled when she saw a flicker of lighting paint the sky with light, hearing the faint rumbling shake the earth. It was going to be a long night.

LILILILILILILILI

Sasuke had been lucky enough to have made it in to the clinic before the downpour began. He sat on one of the chairs dispersed amongst the fluorescent lit waiting room. As he waited for his appointment, he had already come to the conclusion the doctor could buy himself a holiday in Europe by the amount of patients seated in the room. He scowled.

He hated waiting, it annoyed him at no end when on the occasion he made an appointment at a particular time, and his appointment wouldn't be until another two hours. And so he waited and revelled at the rain that was falling heavier and heavier each passing moment and wondered what unlucky person could be caught in the downpour.

The name of another patient was called by a nurse who directed them towards a room; he still had another ten or more people ahead of him before he'd take his turn. How annoying.

He pulled out a worn and creased paperback book from his parka and began to read the doggy eared pages, losing all sense around him, even if it were his uptnth re-reading the novel. The book was a sidekick or a companion of his where ever he went, he just opened the book and read, it never bored him, and if anything it 'entertained' him.

The prospect of knowing it was the last gift from his mother, had held its own value altogether.

As he read, the patients filtered in and out of the clinic, wordlessly, only a hushed chatter could be heard between a patient talking to a receptionist.

It wasn't until the strong shudder of lightning that had turned the night into morn' that gasps and shouts were heard. Sasuke peered over his book, just in time to hear the slowing moan of the electricity generator unit and see the electricity in the building hibernate from its previous dormant state.

He saw the receptionist, walk away from the desk and towards the fuse box, hoping she'd be clever enough to switch the power back on, though subsequently saw her flicker random switches, and finally claiming defeat, 'the electricity isn't working' she grumbled.

He rolled his eyes at her antics, the day couldn't get any better, but it seemed it would as the doctor made his 'appearance' in the waiting room.

He fiddled with his fingers as if anticipating the negative feedback to what he would say and then looked up pushing back his glasses, 'Under safety and city code, I cannot continue with anymore appointments with the absence of the electricity.'

There were a couple grumble and curses floating in the air. Sasuke didn't even bother waiting around for the doctor to continue his statement, and had stood up and began to head out of the building, stuffing his book in his pocket and pulling up the hood of his parka.

At that point annoyance was beyond him, far beyond, he was seething. He located his car and without any bother skidded out of his parking spot and began making his was down the road at a slow pace.

LILILILILILILILILILILILILILI 

Hinata was pacing her dorm room in worry. Her lecture had been cancelled due to the freak weather that was radiating the town. All students were confined to their dorms and nothing else, as there was worry about high voltage hazards around the campus. As long as everyone stayed within the confines of the dorm, they were safe, but not the case of Sakura, which began the worry churn within Hinata's gut.

She was revelling and imagining the worst scenarios occurring to Sakura, what if she was struck by lightning on the way out of her car and nobody had seen her, or if her car had slipped of the road into a creek and she was drowning and immobile.

Hinata tried numerous of times to call Sakura, but her phone seemed to be disconnected which only worried her even more.

She was left to worry and hope that her friend was alright alone until a knock came to her door, and she sprung out of her bed hoping it was Sakura, but saw another in her place.

He stood there scratching his head shyly remembering their last encounter, though the situation was similarly switched but the reason this time different.

'Uh-oh hey Hinata-chan' he nervously chuckled

'Oh hello Naruto-kun, is something wrong?' She replied

'I was hoping you'd know if Sasuke was on campus or not, I can't seem to get a hold of him.'

Hinata's concern grew tenfold. Naruto noticing her worry could suddenly connect the dots, 'Don't tell me Sakura isn't here either?'

Hinata simply nodded, leaving a frustrated Naruto.

'Only if that idiot had gone during the summer…' He mumbled to himself

He looked at Hinata and gripped her shoulder, 'Can you try calling her again?'

'I've tried multiple times already.' Though she pulled out her cell phone and began to dial Sakura's number.

'You never know if this time she'll pick up'

Hinata's fingers began to fumble around her phone dialing Sakura's number, she had memorised it by heart by now.

'What about Sasuke?'

Naruto only grumbled and pulled out Sasuke's phone from his pocket, answering Hinata's question.

Hinata placed the phone on speaker, anticipating the phone line to disconnect as it did many times before, but somehow as though heaven heard their distress the the line went through and began to ring.

'..it's ringing' Hinata stated

Naruto could only slowly nod his head in response

The line seemed to shatter and scratch for a moment and then a familiar voice known by both broke through, 'Hinata'

'Sakura!' Hinata exclaimed suddenly and began to cry.

'Hey, hey Hinata see I told you she's fine.' He patted her back in comfort.

'Naruto is that you?'

'Yeah it is.'

'Do you happen to have a car on you right now?'

'I'm sorry but no I left mine back home I'm sharing my friend's, but he's in town right now, why what's wrong?'

Sakura cursed.

Hinata finally spoke, ' Are you alright Sakura?'

'Oh I'm fine Hinata, I'm sorry if I've worried you, it's just my car broke down on the way to town and now I have to push all the way back, I'm stuck on the back road. I just got back into to the car for the mean time because the rains not letting up, I'm hoping to flag someone over, but in this weather who knows who'd bother driving?'

'I'm sorry Sakura I wish there was something I could do-'

'Stop worrying, that's what you can do, the more you worry, the more I worry, you hear me.' Sakura smiled to the microphone of her phone.

Hinata wanted to reply but the connection was cut and all she could hear was the disconnection tone.

Naruto could only reassure her everything would be fine and to just not worry for the sake of Sakura. Though his words did little to comfort her, her eyes still whizzing in worry and her hand gripped her hand to her heart.

Naruto left her at that moment, which did little justice to Hinata's condition. She felt that she scared him off with her worries and obliviousness to his comfort, she was ready to close the door, when she saw him enter the room again, leaving her shocked.

He pulled out a deck of cards, 'How about a game of cards to pass the time.'

Hinata could only simply forget the world around her and smile, and place two pillows on the ground.

'Blackjack' she suggested

'Awww Hinata-chan you know how much I suck at this.'

Despite his reluctance he began to shuffle and deal the cards.

'Naruto, to be fair, you play rather poorly in all games of cards.' She giggled

'Yeah, yeah whatever.' He grumbled in embarrassment, though smiled softly to himself upon hearing Hinata laugh.

_Just like old times. Ne Naruto-kun?_

Sakura looked at her phone switch off, as her conversation with Hinata was cut short. She sighed to herself, and simply just lay there on the driver's seat staring at the roof window, letting her gaze follow the lightning being threaded through the stars.

Her eyes grew drowsy and she stifled a yawn, there was no point fighting it, nobody would be able to get to her till morning in this rain. Her eyes closed and her heart lulled to the rains lullaby,

_Pitter, pat, pit, pat, Patter, pit, pat_

Her mouth let out a little snooze and air, as she fell asleep, her mind elsewhere, not conscious of her mistake. Her car was slowly trotting forward down the gentle cresting hill. She had forgotten to put the car in park and pull the safety brakes. Would she know of this development? Or would the creek that swallowed the hill at the bottom drown such ideas to be pondered.

_LILILILILILI_

Sasuke bit his tongue in anger as he tried to hold back another string of colourful words pass through him once again.

He starred at the flashing lights of a police officer's vehicle redirecting traffic through a detour. The cause of this detour, was the result of a tree blocking any passage onto the other side of the road, due to this predicament, he was lead to turn off the main road and onto the back road.

His awareness and weariness only increased tenfold as he was swallowed by the darkness of the back road, unlike the main road there were no light post lighting up the road ahead, blinding his line of vision.

He didn't like this feeling, the feeling of unknown.

He switched on his high beam as his car steadily made it up the gentle crest, as he gradually reached the peak of the hill he geared down his car slowing the speed by have and riding his breaks with caution as his car dipped forward in the descending slope of the hill.

It was only four years ago when a group of drunk freshman had been driving in this area, when they lost control of the vehicle. The weather was the same and the steering had become static and not fluid. They didn't make the pin turn at the slope.

Sasuke shivered to himself imagining the cold water engulfing their bodies. He shook his head to shake the thoughts out of his mind and to clear his mind to enable him to focus. That's when he saw it.

There was a car grating against the side rail of the hill which had served as a barrier from the two hundred metre cliff and jagged seas.

His eyes narrowed.

As he saw the car getting close to the turn, his mind could only question what the hell was going on?

The car showed no function, as if it was leading itself to its very own suicide.

Sasuke began to honk his horn as if to dazzle or 'wake up' the occupant of the car.

But he did not see the reassuring glare of the brake lights being engaged.

Damn. This is bad.

His mind began to calculate.

There was only one way.

He slowly eased his leg of the brakes allowing his car to pick up speed and to overtake the vehicle though careful not to be in the same lane as the other's car, for he worried if the force of the other's car may take him along for the plunge.

He placed his car in park and initiated the emergency signals to give him bearings in the darkness. He soon after ran up to the car.

There was somebody definitely in there, he realized after his breath dissipated from the window revealing a figure.

He had to stop the car, no choice in that.

He opened the driver's door and found it to be open; he noted how careless the driver was. Not only did they not park the car but not lock it, but he couldn't argue that matter in the current situation. As he attempted to reach for the hand brake, the soles of his shoes began to skid against the gravel of the road.

The car was picking up speed.

His hands slick with sweat, fumbling over the drivers body, which he noted was of the female species, finally grasped the device and he pulled with all his might and the car jerked to a halting stop.

He let go a breath he hadn't realised he held and tousled his head back and looked grumpily at the driver.

He could only make out the silhouette of the figure, but as the looming clouds finally let go of their passionate embrace and let the full moon brighten the world around him like a stadium.

He could only gasp.

How cruel was fate.

There was no way, it couldn't be.

Though the car's brakes would have none of it as it let out a rusty scream, the traction between his shoes and the ground began to shift again like tectonic plates.

He had finally found her.

He was going to lose her. His mind corrected his thoughts, as he realised car jerking erratically forward towards the turn.

He couldn't save both.

And so he pulled her out in one swift movement, and again he commended her carelessness; no seatbelt he mused.

He held her close to his chest as he kneeled down on the ground and watched the car dip and break through the barrier and fall forward.

His heart raced.

Had he not gone, or listened to Tsunade.

Had it not rained.

Had not the tree fallen.

He would have lost her.

It had been years. Two to be exact and it felt just like yesterday when he held her the very same way.

He looked down. And his eyes caught the glint of silver on her finger.

He softly smiled.

He pulled it off and replaced it with his own and put hers onto his own finger, he relinquished in the warmth it held against his cold fingers.

Finally.

All his troubles and annoyance of that long day dissipated at that moment.

And he looked at the moon longingly and gratefully for its light had revealed her.

He felt a vibration come from her jacket pocket and took out her phone and without bothering to check the caller ID

'Hello' He spoke

The line was silent for a moment

'So you've finally met Sakura you idiot.'

The response had only given him an even stronger commendation of the truth and the reality of this moment, she was with him and she was real not a distant memory or dream.

'I guess I have' He smiled

Sakura could only let out soft snore in response.

LILILILL

My whole computer memory had been wiped and I couldn't recover anything…

DEAR LORD I SHOULD PROBABLY GO DIE IN A HOLE NE?

LIFE SUCKS KIDDIES, IT'S A FACT BUT HEY I FINISH SCHOOL IN 3 WKS SO…

Once again thank you :) you lovely people and updates are hopefully going to be more frequent I need to get this story all out it's been haunting me all semester.


End file.
